Retaining device for safety ski bindings

ABSTRACT

1,179,595. Safety ski bindings. H. MARKER. 5 May, 1967 [6 May, 1966; 27 Sept., 1966], No. 20950/67. Heading A6D. A retaining device for use with safety ski bindings to prevent loss of the ski in the event of release of the binding comprises a retaining cable secured at one end to the ski and at the other end to a coupling member which engages automatically with a coupling member on the ski boot as the boot is inserted into the binding, and a release mechanism for the interengaged coupling members.

H. MARKER RETAINING DEVICE FOR SAFETY SKI BINDINGS Jun; 10, 1969 7 Sheet Filed May 1, 1967 I INVENTOR HANNES MARKER L/W,A

ATTORNEYS H. MARKER RETAINING DEVICE FOR S AF ETY SKI BINDINGS June 10, 1969 Sheet Filed May 1. 1967 June l0, 1969 H. MARKER RETAINING DEVICE FOR SAFETY SKI BINDINGS Filed May. 1, 1967 ......;.Y I ll/raw 44 39 42 a 43 3': is 3'5 June 10, 1969 H. MARKER 3,448,989 I I RETAINING DEVICE FOR SAFETY SKI' BINDINGS Filed May 1, 1967 Sheet 4 of 7 WWW June 10, 1969 H. MARKER 3,448,989

RETAINING DEVICE FOR SAFETY SKI-BINDINGS Filed May 1, 1967 Sheet 6 of 7 Fig.8

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June 10, 1969 H. MARKER v 3,443,939

RETAINING DEVICE FOR SAFETY SKI BINDINGS Filed May 1, 1967 Sheet of 7 Fig. 72 I 793194 291 "207 1ar V 115 Fig. 73

United States Patent US. Cl. 28011.35 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A retaining cable is fixed at one end to the ski and is releasably fixed at the other end to the skiing boot. The releasable fixation is effected by coupling elements, which automatically interengage in response to the application of the boot and are disengageable only by hand or another arbitrary actuation.

Heel-releasing and heel-holding devices are known which are moved to their clamping position when the boot is stepped into the binding. In order to prevent a loss of the ski when the binding is released in response to an excessive stress, the known heel-releasing devices comprise retaining belts, which are secured to the binding and slung around the boot. The retaining belt must be slung by hand around the boot or hung by hand into an eye which is secured to the boot so that the skier must stoop down, which is inconvenient. It is an object of the invention to avoid this disadvantage. The invention is based on a retaining device for skis whichare provided with a heel-releasing device, which is secured to the ski and engageable by the application of the heel and which releases the foot in response to an excessive stress which is due, e.g., to a tensile force acting at right angles to the surface of the ski, said retaining device comprising a retaining cable or the like, which is fixed at one end to the ski and at the other end to the skiing boot, one of said ends being releasably fixed. According to the invention, coupling elements are provided for the releasable fixation and automatically interengage in response to the application of the boot and are disengageable only by hand or by another arbitrary actuation. The retaining device according to the invention enables the skier to start skiing immediately when he has stepped into the binding because he need not attach the retaining belt by hand. For this reason, a skier having skis provided with the retaining device according to the invention need only step into the binding and can then start skiing.

In a preferred embodiment of the retaining device according to the invention, a coupling member is provided with a locking hook, which is movable against spring force to the open position by an oblique run-up surface upon the engagement of the other coupling member, and is subsequently movable by the spring force into the locking position, and is provided with an actuating member for an arbitrary movement of the hook into the open position. It will be particularly suitable if the actuating member is operatively connected to the opening lever of the heelreleasing device so that upon an arbitrary release of the heel-releasing device the retaining device according to the invention is released too whereas the releasing lever will not be operated and the retaining device according to the invention will continue to connect the foot to the ski.

According to a further proposal of the invention, one coupling element consists of two relatively movable hook members, which together form an eye and are springbiased toward their closed position, the movable hook member is provided with the run-up surface for a pivotal movement into the open against the spring action upon the engagement by the other coupling element, which in the closed position is locked in the eye, preferably with a large backlash, and the movable hook member is provided with the actuating member for its pivotal movement to the open position or cooperates with such actuating means. According to the invention, the retaining cable is held on the ski so as to be extensible against spring force and its free end extends through an opening of a mounting bracket for one coupling element and is secured to the coupling element, which by the spring tension is held in its ready position on the mounting bracket, which has a suitable aperture. It is also desirable to provide a drum for winding the retaining cable, which drum is rotatably mounted on the ski and under the action of a spiral spring. The coupling elements may be secured intwo ways. In one case, the coupling element consisting of the two cooperating hook members is secured to the retaining cable so that one hook member is held by a suitable abutment surface of the mounting bracket whereas the second coupling element, consisting of an eye, is secured to the heel of the boot. In the other case, the coupling element consisting of the cooperating hook members is secured to the heel of the boot and the second coupling element, consisting of the eye, is secured to the retaining cable and is held in its ready position by suitable guide surfaces of the mounting bracket.

In another particularly suitable embodiment of the invention, a space for accommodating the coupling element secured to the retaining cable is provided below the sole holder of the releasing device of the safety ski binding and is provided with an opening, e.g., in the form of an aperture of the sole holder, through which the coupling element which is fixed to the boot is movable before it is connected to the coupling element which is secured to the retaining cable. In this way the coupling elements are protected from damage because they are not subjected to mechanical influences during skiing and because it is ensured that the coupling element which is disposed on the skiing boot will be centred to assume the correct position for interengagement before it interengages with the coupling element which is mounted on the ski.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the coupling element connected to the retaining cable is provided with a nose for engaging in the coupling element which consists of an eye and is mounted on the toe fixture of the boot. For this reason, the automatically coupling retaining device may be combined with a heelreleasing device as well as with a device for releasing the toe portion of the boot.

The coupling element provided on the boot fixture may preferably have two limbs, which are at an angle to each other to form a V and are provided with openings for the passage of the other coupling element, which is secured to the retaining cable and has a U-shaped forked frame having a cross-piece to which the retaining cable is linked whereas the limbs of said forked frame are connected adjacent to their free ends by a pivot for a locking hook, which has a nose which can be passed through the openings in the limbs forming a V-shaped angle and engages the top of the rim of the passage opennig. For an arbitrary release of the retaining device, the locking hook may be pivotally movable to the release position by a slider, which is slidably mounted in the releasing device and preferably engages an angled extension of the locking hook. A crank drive may be provided for actuating the slider, and the crank of this drive may be rigid with an actuating extension, which extends over the opening lever of the releasing device.

In another embodiment, the coupling element which is provided on the boot fixture may consist of a detent ball, and a spring-biased part in the shape of a hollow-spherical segment for cooperation with the ball may be pivoted to the coupling element which is connected to the retaining cable. The part in the form of a hollow-spherical segment is preferably provided with an extension, which forms a run-up path for the detent ball.

In another embodiment, the coupling element which is connected to the retaining cable is provided with a nose for engaging with the coupling element which consists of an eye and is provided on the toe fixture of the boot. In this case it will be desirable to provide a two-armed lever, which is pivoted on an axis to the coupling element connected to the retaining cable, said axis being near to the tip of the ski than the nose for engaging in the coupling element mounted on the toe fixture of the boot, one of the lever arms rests on the free end of the engaging nose and the second lever arm lies under a plunger, which serves for disengaging the coupling and which is displaceable, preferably in a vertical direction, against the force of a spring.

The invention will now be explained more in detail with reference to the drawing which shows several embodiments by way of example.

FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing partly in section a retaining device according to the invention mounted on a ski, in operative position,

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of FIG. 1 and shows the retaining device according to the invention in a position immediately after the release of the heel-releasing device,

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 and shows the retaining device according to the invention in a position immediately after the release of the heel-releasing device,

FIG. 4 shows a detail of the retaining device shown in FIGS. 1 3,

FIG. 5 is a side elevation showing partly in section an embodiment which is modified from that of FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a top plan view showing the retaining device of FIG. 5,

FIG. 7 is a side elevation showing the retaining device of FIGS. 5 and 6 immediately after the release of the heel holder,

FIG. 8 is a vertical longtiudinal sectional view taken on line I--I of FIG. 9 and showing a retaining device which is combined accordling to the invention with a heel-releasing device,

FIG. 9 is a top plan view showing the retaining device of FIG. 8,

FIG. 10 is a side elevation showing another embodiment during the introduction of the skiing boot into the binding,

FIG. 11 is a side elevation similar to FIG. 10 and shows the skiing boot introduced into the binding,

FIG. 12 is a central longitudinal sectional view showing a retaining device in combination with a toe iron and FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken on line VIVI of FIG. 12.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, a step-in binding or heel-releasing device 2 is mounted on a ski 1 and in its clamping position holds a skiing boot 3 by means of a sole holder 4. In response to an excessive tensile force, which is transmitted by the boot 3 to the heel-releasing device, the boot 3 and the foot are released from the ski. A retaining cable 12 prevents a complete separation of the ski from the foot and a. downslide of the ski after a fall. Such a downslide of the ski would beextremely inconvenient to the skier and could involve serious dangers to other persons. The retaining cable is connected at one end to the skiing boot and at the other end to the ski. The fixation at one of the ends is releasable. The releasable fixation is effected by coupling elements A, B, which are automatically coupled upon the application of the boot 3. The coupling ele ments A, B can be disengaged only by an arbitrary actuation, e.g., by hand. The retaining cable is received in a bracket 6, which is secured with the aid of screws 5 beside the heel-releasing device 2. The bracket 6 is provided with two lugs 7, between which a cylindrical housing 9 is mounted by a pin 8. A drum 10 for winding the retaining cable 12 is rotatably mounted on the pin 8 in the housing 9. The winding drum 10 is under the action of spiral spring 11, which tends to wind up the retaining cable 12 on the winding drum 10. The retaining cable 12 extends out of the housing 9 and is guided in a bore 13 of the bracket 6. That end of the retaining cable 12 which protrudes from the housing 9 carries one coupling element B, which consists of an eye 14. When the binding is ready to receive the foot, engaging surfaces 15 (FIG. 4) of the eye 14 contact guide surfaces 16 of the bracket 6. These guiding surfaces consist of notches, as is apparent from FIG. 3.

The heel of the boot 3 is provided with a fixture 17, which carries a nose or hook 18 and an eye 19, to which a hook is pivoted by a pin 20. A torsion spring 22 tends to hold the hook 21 in its closed position shown in the drawing so that it forms an eye 25 with the nose or hook 18.

When the foot steps into the binding, a run-up surface 24 of the hook 21 slides along a cross-piece 23 of the eye 14 so that the pivoted hook 21 is moved into an open position. Only shortly before the boot 3 assumes its normal position on the ski 1 does the cross-piece 23 of the eye 14 engage the eye 25 between the rigid hook 18 and the movable hook 21. Under the action of the torsion spring 22, the hook 21 springs subsequently back into its closed position to connect the retaining cable 12 to the shoe 3. When the skier desires to step out of the binding, an actuating member 26 must be depressed to open both the heel-releasing device 2 and the hook 21. When the heel-releasing device 2 is opened in response to an excessive tensile force, the heel of the boot 3 will be released to lift from the ski, as is shown in FIG. 3. In this case, the hook 21 pulls the eye 14 along so that the retaining cable 12. is withdrawn from the winding drum '10 and the spiral spring 11 is stressed. The cable has such a length that the heel can sufficiently lift from the ski so that there is no danger for the skier and the foot is released also from the toe holder, not shown.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 to 7, a known automatic heel-holding or heel-releasing device 32 is mounted on the ski 31 behind the boot 30 and serves for holding the boot 30 on the ski 31. The heel-releasing device 32 is provided with a pin 33, which carries a housing. Just as in the embodiment described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, the housing contains a drum 34, which is rotatably mounted on the pin 33 and serves for winding up a retaining cable 35. The winding drum 34 is biased by a torsion spring, which tends to Wind up the retaining cable 35. Before the housing of the winding drum 34, a bracket 36 is secured to the ski 31 by a screw 37 beside the heel-releasing device 32. The bracket 36 has a passage 38 for the retaining cable 35. One coupling element D is secured to one end of the retaining cable 35. The second coupling element C, which cooperates with the element D, is held on the boot. The coupling element D has a hook 40, which is pivoted by a pin 41 to a member 39 and under the action of a torsion spring which urges the hook 40 to its closed position, in which it forms an eye 47 together with the member 39. The member 39 has an extension 42, which is designed to fit in such a manner into an aperture 43 of the bracket 36 that the member 39 and the coupling element D are nonrotatable. The aperture 43 in the bracket 36 and the extension 42 of the member 39 have an elliptical shape in cross-section.

The boot 30 is provided with a fixture 44, to which an eye 45 is secured. When the boot is stepped into the binding, the eye 45 strikes the oblique run-up surface 46 of the hook 40 so that the same is opened against the action of the torsion spring. When the sole of the boot engages the ski, the hook 40 springs back to its closed position because the eye 45 enters an opening of the eye 47 of the hook 40. This opening may be limited by the member 39. In this way, the eye 45 forms the second coupling element, which is designated C in FIG. 7. Upon a safety release of the binding, the heel lifts from the ski 31 and by the eye 45 pulls the coupling element D along so that the retaining cable 35 is unwound from the winding drum 34 against the action of the torsion spring. When the hook 40 is opened by hand, the retaining cable is wound back on the winding drum 34 until the member 38 again engages the bracket 36. Owing to the elliptical shape of the opening 43 in the bracket 46 and of the extension 42 of the member 39, this member and with it the coupling element D are moved to the correct position so that the binding is again ready to receive the boot.

The hook 40 is provided with a nose 48, which is engaged from below by a pin 53, Which is secured to a lever or an actuating member 49. By means of a slot 50, the actuating member 49 is rotatably and longitudinally slidably mounted on a pin 51, which is secured to the heel-releasing device 32. The lever 49 is also connected to the opening lever 52 of the heel-releasing device 32. Upon a depression of the opening lever 52, the heel releasing device releases the heel of the boot. Being connected to the opening lever 52, the actuating member 49 is swung rearwardly and downwardly when the opening lever is being depressed sothat the pin 53 is pulled rearwardly and by the nose 48 takes the hook 40* along. The eye 45 is thus disengaged from the hook 40 and the boot can lift from the ski whereas the coupling element and retaining cable 35 are not taken along.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the retaining device is combined with a known heel-releasing device. For this reason, the heel-releasing device is not shown in all details in order to avoid an undue complication of the drawings.

The entire assembly is mounted on a baseplate 101, which is secured to a ski 102 by means which are not shown. The baseplate has two opposed cheeks 103, 104, which extend longitudinally of the ski. A pin 105 extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the ski is mounted in the cheeks and forms a pivot for a carrying member '106, to which a sole holder 107 and a closing pedal 108 are secured. A lever 109 serves for arbitrarily opening the heel-releasing device.

The retaining device for holding the ski to the skiing boot when the heel-releasing device has released in response to a fall comprises two coupling elements A, B. The coupling element A is secured by a fixture 112 to the boot and forms a passage for the other coupling element B, which is secured to the retaining cable 115. This coupling element B has a U-shaped, forked frame, which carries at the free ends of its limbs a pivot 113 for a locking book 11 1. This locking hook 111 is biased by a torsion spring, not shown, which urges the hook to the position shown in FIG. 8. When the skiing boot is held in the binding, the nose 114 of the locking hook 111 engages the top of the rim of the passage in the coupling element A at the outer end thereof. The cross-piece of the U-shaped, forked frame of the coupling element B has a bore. The free end of the retaining cable 115 extends through this bore and is locked against slipping out. The cross-piece is outwardly rounded and rests normally in a recess of a holding member 1116, which is secured to the baseplate 101. The recess in the holding member conforms to the cross-piece. The retaining cable 115 extends to a cable housing 117, in which a cable drum, not shown, is mounted on a pivot pin 118 for rotation (in the clockwise sense in FIG. 8) against the action of a spiral spring.

The locking hook 111 of the coupling element B has an angled extension 1 19 ('FIG. 8), which cooperates with a slider 120 during an arbitrary opening of the device. The slider is mounted in a bore, which is formed in the carrying member 106 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the ski. -At that end which is remote from the extention 119, the slider is pivoted to the connecting rod 121 of a crank drive, which comprises a crank .122 that is rigidly connected to an actuating extension 122. The latter extension is rotatable in unison with the crank 122' about a pivot pin 123 in the carying member 106. The actuating extension 1122 extends over the opening lever 109 of the heel-releasing device so that a depression of the actuating extension 122, e.g., with the ski stick, will actuate the opening lever 109 at the same time and cause the heel-releasing device to be opened.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show a retaining device in combin-a-. tion with a heel-releasing device which is basically similar to the design of FIGS. 8 and 9. A baseplate 101 is secured to the ski 102 by means which are not shown. The baseplate 101 has two opposed cheeks 103, 104, which carry a pivot pin 105, which extends transversely. to the longitudinal direction of the ski. A carrying member 106 for the sole holder 107 and the closing pedal 108 is pivoted on the pivot pin. The carrying member 106 and the parts secured to it belond to the heel-releasing device, which will not be described in more detail and comprises also an opening member for an arbitrary opening of the device.

One of the two coupling elements A and B, namely,

the coupling element A mounted on the fixture 112 of the skiing boot, is provided with a detent ball 140. The coupling element B, which is connected to the retaining cable v115, is bipartite and has a part 141 which has the form of a hollow-spherical segment andis pivoted by a pivot 143 to the holder 149 for the retaining cable 115. Just as in the embodiment described hereinbore, the retaining cable 115 is accompanied in a cable housing 117 on a cable drum, not shown. This drum is mounted on a pivot pin 118 for rotation against the force of a spiral spring, which is not shown. That part 141 of the coupling element B which has the form of a hollow-spherical segment is under the action of a torsion spring 144, which urges the part 141 to the position shown in FIG. 11. The holder 149 for the retaining cable 115 has the form which is apparent from the drawings and is mounted in a corresponding recess in the side cheeks 103, 104. The part 141 in the form of a hollow-spherical segment has an extension 142, which is upwardly inclined in the normal position of part 141 and forms a run-up path for the detent ball during the introduction of the skiing boot into the bind-ing.

FIG. 10 shows the device during the introduction of the skiing boot into the binding. At this time, the heel- :releasing device is moving from its open position to its closed position. When the detent ball 140 runs up on the run-up path formed by the extension 142 of the part 141 having the form of a hollow-spherical segment, the part 141 is swung rearwardly about the pivot 143. When the heel has been entirely depressed so that the heel-releasing device is in its closed position, the torsion spring 144 swings back the part 141 in the form of a hollow-spherical segment back to its initial position, in which it engage-s the detent ball 140 from above.

If the sole holder 107 is subjected to an excessively strong tensile force acting approximately at right angles to the surface of the ski, the carrying member 106 together with the sole holder 107 and the closing pedal 108 swings into the open position, in which the heelreleasing device releases the skiing boot. When the heelreleasing device has released the skiing boot, the latter remains connected to the ski by the retaining device so that the ski cannot slip or fly under no control.

As the two coupling elements A, B can be only arbitrarliy disengaged, a movement of the skiing boot out of the binding will pull the retaining cable 115 out of the cable housing againstt he force of the spiral spring.

[For an arbitrary release of the skiing boot, the opening lever 109 must be actuated to open the heel-releasing device. That part 141 of the coupling element B which has the form of a hollowspherical segment is then swung back to disengaged the coupling elements A, B so that the skiing boot is entirely released from the ski. An actuation of the opening lever 109 and of the extension 142 of the part 141 in the form of a hollow-spherical segment may be performed, e.g., with a ski stick, as is gene-rally usual for any arbitrary opening of heel-releasing devices.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show an embodiment of a retaining device in combination with a toe-releasing device. According to the present invention, a carrying member 177 is secured by screws 178 to the ski 102. A safety toe iron is pivoted by a threaded hold 179 to the carrying member. This toe iron is known per se and not shown in more detail. The carrying member 177 is hollow and forms a cable housing for a retaining cable 115, which is wound up on a cable drum 181. Just as in the embodiments described hereinbefore, the cable drum is mounted on the threaded bolt .179 for rotation against the force of a spinal spring, not shown. On that side which faces away from the tip of the ski the carrying member 177 is formed with .an outlet opening for the retaining cable 115. That end of the retaining cable 115 which emerges from the carrying member is firmly connected to a coupling element B, which has a nose 183 cooperating with the second coupling element A, which forms an eye 184 and is mounted on the toe fixture 185 of the boot. A twoaarmed lever 187 is pivoted by a pivot pin 186 to the coupling element B and prevents an arbitrary disengagement of the coupling elements A, B. The safety toe iron 188 is supplemented according to the invention by means which will be described hereinafter. The sole holder 107 of the toe iron 188 extends in usual manner over the rim of the sole of the skiing boot so that only a small gap is left between the rim of the sole and the inside surface of the hole holder 167. This gap is necessary to enable a movement of the coupling element A, mounted on the toe portion of the skiing boot, into the coupling position over the nose 183.

A plunger 190 extending at right angles to the ski .102 is mounted in the toe iron 138 and is displaceable toward the ski against the force of a compresion spring 191. In the normal position of the toe iron, the plunger lies over that arm of the two armed lever 187 which is directed toward the tip of the ski. The plunger 190 can pivotally move the lever 187 in the counterclockwise sense in FIG. 8 against the force of a torsion spring 192. The plunger 190 carries at its lower end a head, and a [bushing 193 is connected to the upper end of the plunger by a screw .194. The bushing 193 forms an abutment for the spring 191 and a recess for receiving a tip of a ski stick.

If the heel-releasing device, not shown in this case, is subjected to an excessive force which effects a release, or if the toe iron is subjected to a lateral force, which effects a pivotal movement of the jaw resulting in a release of the skiing boot, the latter will be released from the binding but will remain connected to the ski by the retaining cable 115 because the lever 187 prevents a release of the eye 184 so that the coupling elements A, B cannot be disengaged.

For an arbitrary release of the skiing boot, the plunger 190 is actuated, e.g., by means of a ski stick, so that the lever 187 is moved to the open position against the force of the torsion spring 192. In this position, the toe portion of the skiing boot may be slightly lifted to disengage the nose 183 of coupling element B from the nose 184.

What is claimed is:

1. A retaining device for skis which are provided with a heel-releasing device, which is secured to the ski and engageable by the application of the heel and which releases the foot in response to an excessive stress which is due, e.g., to a tensile force acting at right angles to the surface of the ski, said retaining device comprising a retaining cable or the like extending between the boot and the ski and fixed at one end to one of said boot and said ski and releasably secured at its other endto the other of said boot and said ski, the releasable end being secured to the respective one of said boot and said ski by means of coupling elements that automatically engage in response to the application of the boot to the heel releasing device and are disengageable only by hand or by another arbitrary actuation.

2. A retaining device according to claim 1, wherein said coupling elements include a first coupling element provided with a locking hook and a second cooperating coupling element, and wherein 'a spring biases the locking hook to an unlocked position, a cam surface is defined by said first coupling element upon which said second coupling element rides to force said first coupling element to unlock against the force of said spring and receive said second coupling element, and wherein an actuating member is provided for the arbitrary movement of said first coupling element to the unlocked position.

3. A retaining device according to claim 2, wherein the actuating member is operatively connected with the heel-releasing device.

4. A retaining device according to claim 2, wherein said first coupling element consists of two relatively movable hook members which together form an eye, and said second coupling element, when locked in the eye, has a large backlash, said actuating member being connected to pivot said first coupling element to the unlocked position.

5. A retaining device according to claim 1, wherein the retaining cable is held on the ski to be extensible against a spring force and its free end extends through an opening of a mounting bracket for one coupling element and is secured to the one coupling element, which by the spring tension is held in its ready position on the mounting bracket.

6. A retaining device according to claim 5, wherein a drum for winding the retaining cable is rotatably mounted on the ski and biased by a coil spring.

7. A retaining device according to claim 5, wherein the one coupling element consists of two cooperating hook members which are secured to the retaining cable so that one hook member is held by a suitable abutment surface of the mounting bracket whereas the second coupling element, consisting of an eye, is secured to the heel of the boot.

8. A retaining device according to claim 5, wherein the one coupling element consists of an eye and is held in its ready position by suitable guide surfaces of the mounting bracket, and the second coupling element consists of the cooperating hook members secured to the heel of the boot.

9. A retaining device according to claim 1, wherein a space for accommodating the coupling element secured to the retaining cable is provided below the sole holder of the releasing device of the safety ski binding, through which the coupling element which is fixed to the boot is movable before it is connected to the coupling element which is secured to the retaining cable.

10. A retaining device according to claim 9, wherein the receiving space for the coupling element secured to the retaining cable is disposed under the sole holder for the toe portion of the boot.

11. A- retaining device according to claim 10, wherein the opening for the introduction of the coupling element which is provided on the toe fixture of the boot is defined by that surface of the ski which is parallel to the tread of the ski and by the sole holder to the toe portion of the boot.

12. A retaining device according to claim 10, wherein the coupling element which is connected to the retaining cable is provided with a nose for engaging with the coupling element which consists of an eye and is provided on the toe of the boot.

13. A retaining device according to claim 12, wherein a lever is provided, which is pivoted on an axis to the coupling element connected to the retaining cable, said axis being nearer to the tip of the ski than the nose for engaging in the coupling element mounted on the toe of the boot, one of the lever arms rests on the free end of the engaging nose and the second lever arm lies under a plunger, which serves for disengaging the coupling and which is displaceable against the force of a spring.

14. A retaining device according to claim 9, wherein the coupling element mounted on the boot has two limbs, which are at an angle to each other to form a V and are provided with openings for the passage of the other coupling element, which is secured to the retaining cable and has a U-shaped forked frame having a cross-piece to which the retaining cable is linked whereas the limbs of said forked frame are connected adjacent to their free ends by a pivot for a locking hook, which has a nose which can be passed through the openings in the limbs forming a V-shaped angle and engages the top of the rim of the passage opening.

15. A retaining device according to claim 14, wherein the locking hook is pivotally movable to the release position by a slider, which is slidably mounted in the releasing device and preferably engages an angled extension of the locking hook.

16. A retaining device according to claim 15, wherein a crank drive is provided for actuating the slider and the crank of this drive is rigid with an actuating extension, which extends over the opening lever of the releasing device.

17. A retaining device according to claim 9, wherein the coupling element provided on the boot consists of a detent ball, and a part in the shape of a hollow-spherical segment for cooperation with the detent ball is provided on that coupling element which is connected to the retaining cable, said part in the form of a hollow-spherical segment being pivotally movable against the force of a spring.

18. A retaining device according to claim 17, wherein the part in the form of a hollow-spherical segment which is provided on the coupling element connected to the retaining cable is provided with an extension, which forms a run-up path for the detent ball.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 227,994 10/ 1943 Switzerland.

OTHER REFERENCES Weber-ling German application Ser. No. printed Nov. 26, 1964.

LEO FRIAGLIA, Primary Examiner. MILTON L. SMITH, Assistant Examiner. 

